Flat folded carton



April 27,- 1954 F; A. GASTR'I GHT FLAT FOLDED CARTON.

. Original Filed June 3, 1950 3maentor. ,4, 61487-916111;

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Patented Apr. 27, 1954 FLAT FOLDED CARTON Frank A. Gastright, Fort Thomas, Ky., assignor to The'Queen City Manufacturing 00., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application Jun Divided and is e 3, 1950, Serial No. his application March 15, 1951, Serial No. 215,670

4 Claims. 1

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 165,989 filed June 3, 1956.

My present invention relates to cartons or containers of the type employed in conjunction with bulk dispensing vending machines, such as the machine disclosed in the aforementioned application wherein a supply of the cartons or containers, in fiat folded condition, are stored within a hopper of the machine. The cartons employed are of the conventional four panel side wall structure with automatic self-locking bottom flaps as shown in the U. S. Patent No. 2,388,190, which flaps become interlocked upon erection of the carton and thus retain the carton in its erected position, no top closure flaps or panels being required. As well known these four wali cartons in their flat folded condition may readily be squared up, or erected, by app-lying pressure (a squeezing action) on the Opposite flat folded edges of the structure.

Each time a customer deposits a coin in the machine a mechanism is activated which functions to extract one of the flat folded cartons from the hopper, pushing the carton forward in its fiat folded condition. As the carton is thus pushed forward its leading fiat folded edge strikes an abutment which prevents further forward movement at that edge of the carton. However, the pushing action, at the trailing fiat folded edge, continues and thus contributes to a squeezing action which results in the fiat folded carton heing spread to its squared up and erected posi- 1. Just as this operation is completed tether mechanism within the machine operates to dispense a portion of bulk merchandise into the erected carton, the merchandise falling through suitably positioned discharge orifice located above the carton.

In machines of this character wherein, with :nsing operation, a fiat folded carton must be extracted from a hopper and advanced to its so" wred up erected position, various difficulties ,1 e heretofore been encountered. One has been due to irregular thickness of fiat folded carton which irregularity is caused by the various plies of paperboard stock in the flat folded structure. Among other 013: jections this irregular thickness has caused difiiculty in extracting but one carton at a time from hopper. Another difiiculty has'been' due to uncertainty of an extracted flat folded carton to properly open and spread to'it's erected position as required, the cartons tending to buckle 01' fold instead of .op'e'ningasrequired.

With the above in mind it is an object of my invention to provide an improved carton wherein undue variations in thickness of the flat folded structure are reduced by means of scored indentations in the paperboard stock.

Another object of my invention is to initiate and assure proper spreading and erecting of the carton to its squared up position by means of a notch, or cut-out portion, located in the upper margin of one of the leading side wall panels, and a slit located in the upper margin of the fiat folded trailing edge. The notch, as the carton is pushed forward, permitting entry of a stationary blade between the flat folded carton walls to thus positively prevent undesired buckling or folding of the carton structure and to initiate proper spreading and erection as the squeezing or erecting action to open up the carton for receiving its charge of dispensed merchandise takes place. The slit, in the trailing flat folded edge, permits the exit of the blade as the carton is pushed forward to its fully erected position.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a box blank which has been out, scored and indented in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the box in its final flat folded and glued condition, ready for use in a dispensing machine.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line ii of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the upper end of my improved carton in slightly opened position.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating a preferred arrangement of an extractor for pushing aiiat folded carton forward from a hopper; a stationary blade for assuring and initiating proper spreading and erecting of the carton; and an abutment against which the leading edge of the carton abuts while the pusher member continues to move forward to press the carton to its squared up and finally erected position as indicated in dotted lines.

As indicated in Figure 1, the main body portion of the carton blank has sidewall panels it, H, [2 and i3 joined by foldable score lines id, id and it. A glue flap ii is joined by score line Hi to the panel l3.

flaps or panels l9, 2%, 2i and to the sidewall panels by score lines respectively indicated at 23, 2 25 and 2%. As herein shown the bottom closure flaps 2t and 22 are respectively provided with notches 29a and 22a. The flaps and 22 also have diagonally disposed foldable score lines 29b and 22b, the line 20b dividing the panel 22 into portions 200 and 20d. Likewise the line 22b divides the panel 22 into portions 220 and 22d.

The bottom closure flaps herein shown and just above mentioned are of the automatic, self-erecting and self-interlocking type such as disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,388,190. A complete detailed description regarding arrangement and operation of these flaps is not included in this specification, reference being made to the said patent. However, it is to be understood that other types of carton bottom closures may be Bottom closure 22 are articulated readily substituted without affecting the utility of my invention.

Within an upper margin of the main body portion and in the sidewall it is a cut-out portion or notch 22?. Also within the same upper margin is a slit or line of cut 28, in alignment with the score line it, Formed within a deeper upper margin of the blank are lines of indentation 2d and 3! respectively located in panels i2 and it, the lines of indentation being equally spaced from the slit 28.

During the operations of folding and gluing the blank of Figure 1 to produce the fiat folded carton structure of Figure 2, adhesive is applied to the glue flap H as indicated at lla. Other spots of adhesive 28c and 22s are applied respec tively to the panels 230 and 220.

Referring now to Figure 2 it may be pointed out that sidewall panel it, together with glue flap if, have been folded inwardly about the score line it to a position overlying the panels i2 and ii. The sidewall panel it has been folded about the score line it to a position overlying the panel H, a marginal portion of the panel ill becoming adhered to the glue flap ii. The bottom flaps it and have been folded upward intermediate the carton sidewalls and the bottom flaps 2t and 22 have likewise been folded upward, but with their portions 200 and 220 (to which adhesive is applied) folded reversely Thus the bottom flaps l9 and 20 are adhered together, by means of the panel 28c. Bottom flaps 2i and 22 are likewise adhered together by means of the panel 220.

Due to natural reaction of folded paperboard stock the thickness of any fiat folded carton is slightly increased along the lines of fiat (0r 186) fold, such as the fold line it. Thus in the vicinity of the slit 28 the folding reaction is eliminated and reduction of thickness results throughout the length of the slit. This loss of thickness creates an irregularity in the flat folded edge of the carton, which irregularity may interfere with proper feeding of the carton from the supply hopper. Referring now to Figures 2 and i, it will be observed that in the flat folded position of the carton the lines of indentation 29 and 3d abut each other increasing the thickness between panels l2 and i3. Thus the indentations serve to compensate for loss of thickness due to presence of the slit 28 and proper feeding of the cartons is obtained.

Referring now to Figure 7, a flat folded carton 50 has been extracted from a hopper (not shown) and is being pushed forward (in the direction of arrow X) by means of a blade or pusher 5! which engages the flat folded edge is of the carton. Means for actuating the pusher 5i and other means for guiding the carton are not here shown, being no part of my present invention. Suitable means for these purposes are, however, disclosed in detail in my aforementioned copending application.

As the carton 50 is thus pushed forward, a stationary blade 52, preferably bent somewhat as at 53, engages the notch 21 and enters between the sidewalls it and H of the flat folded carton. As the carton continues to move forward, the blade 52 also passes between the carton walls i2 and L3. The blade 52 may have a gradual flared formation terminating in the enlarged end 54, and as this end 54 passes through the notch 21 the blade 52 will be positioned between the carton sidewalls H! and 13 on one side, i l and I2 on the other side. As the carton moves on the leading or bent end 53 of the blade emerges through the slit 28 in the trailing edge E6 of the carton. As this occurs, the flared portion of the blade 52, now passing between the carton Walls l2 and i3, initiates or commences a spreading action preparatory to final and complete erection of the carton. Just as this initial spreading occurs, the leading fiat folded edge M of the carton strikes an abutment 55 and further forward travel of the carton is prevented. However, the pusher 5i continues to move forward pressing against the trailing edge it of the carton until the carton is pressed to its squared up and fully erected position indicated at 58, whereupon the self-erecting bottom become interlocked to retain the carton in erected position and the pusher blade 5i retracts to a rear position in readiness for its next operation.

it is not a requirement that the blade 5?. is of flared formation. The mere presence of a blade positioned between the walls of a flat folded carton is sufficient to initiate a slight spreading action, prevent buckling and contribute to proper opening of the carton.

The length and arrangement of may be such that the blade exits from the slit 23 just as the carton is brought to its fully erected position. As shown in the diagram, however, the blade is not fully withdrawn from the carton, complete withdrawal occurring when the customer manually removes his purchase. Thus the blade serves an additional advantage in that the erected carton is less likely to become displaced, prior to or during discharge of merchandise into the carton.

Modifications of my invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the precise structure shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what 1' claim to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a carton for use in a bulk mechandise dispensing machine wherein a flat folded carton is pushed to erected condition by pressure means acting on a folded edge of the carton, and wherein a blade is provided to enforce the separation of the carton walls as it is being pushed, a collapsed tubular body comprising four body walls in articulation, closure flaps articulated to the bottom edges of said body walls, said closure flaps adapted to be automatically erected and interlocked upon erection of the carton, said tubular body being in flat folded condition with the line of articulation between an adjacent pair of body walls forming the leading edge of the flat folded carton, and the line of articulation the blade 52 5 between the remaining two body walls forming the trailing edge of said fiat folded carton, said first mentioned pair of body walls being the leading body walls, and the remaining pair the trailedge, for maintaining said trailing walls slightly spaced from each other when in fiat folded position.

2. The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said cut-out in said leading wall is positioned intermediate the ends of said wall.

3. The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said mating indentations comprise score lines extending downwardly from the upper edges of said trailing body walls in substantial parallelism with said line of cut.

A carton for use in a bulk merchandise dispensing machine wherein a fiat folded carton comprising a flattened collapsed tubular body having four enclosing body walls in articulation is pushed forward and erected by pressure applied to opposite leading and trailing fiat folded edges, a cut out opening contiguous with the top edge of one of the leading body walls, and a line of articulation, and lines of indentation in the body walls adjacent said line of articulation, said lines of indentation being equally spaced from said line of articulation whereby said last mentioned body walls are maintained slightly spaced from each other when said carton is in flattened collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 152,636 Heyl June 30, 1874 283,209 Colburn Aug. 14, 1883 698,106 Dalsheimer Apr. 22, 1902 816,273 Sunderman Mar. 27, 1906 2,262,267 Boeye Nov. 11, 1941 2,284,942 Boeye June 2, 1942 2,327,709 Himes Aug. 24, 1943 2,361,603 Cohen Oct. 31, 1944 2,388,190 Smart Oct. 30, 1945 2,563,352 Morse Aug. 7, 1951 

